This invention relates to a composting bin or box and a composting method that is particularly suitable for small-scale operations, such as household or other residential operations.
Composting is a method by which certain kinds of biological materials are broken down to return those materials to a form in which they can be used by plants to promote plant growth. The composting process involves assembling compostable organic matter into a pile where bacteria decompose it into elemental soil-type material. The process is exothermic. Forming the compostable material into a pile helps to reduce heat and moisture loss. The captured heat and moisture create conditions that favor bacterial growth and breakdown of the organic matter. The composting process consumes oxygen. The pile characteristics that cause it to retain heat and moisture operate to prevent air from penetrating the pile. It is therefore necessary to aerate the compost pile periodically to provide the necessary oxygen to sustain the process. This is ordinarily done by mechanically mixing air into the pile.
Composting processes are practiced on scales ranging from industrial to household. For large-scale operations, various types of automated composting equipment are available to mechanically aerate the compost pile. Small-scale composting piles are typically aerated manually or by using small automated equipment. Small-scale automated equipment is often too expensive to purchase and operate to be an economically attractive option. The capacity of these units tends to be small as well. Therefore, manual aeration is the most widely practiced method for household-scale composting operations. Commonly, the compost pile is maintained within a bin, so that it is not dispersed by wind and rain. Aeration is done by turning the pile over within the bin (if the bin is not too full), or by transferring the pile from the bin to another bin or an adjoining area. The ordinary method of accomplishing this is by shoveling or using a pitchfork. These methods are highly labor intensive. They usually require a lot of lifting as the compost must be raised above the height of the bin in order to remove it. The necessary work is difficult for many older, sick or disabled people. Even for younger, healthier people, it would be desirable to make the manual aeration process easier.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an aeration method and equipment that this inexpensive, easy to operate, and which reduces the manual labor necessary to aerate the compost pile.